for now, the only thing we're growing on this farm is kids - not the goat variety

Month: May 2008
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Marathon purchased a AT&T cell phone a few months ago with the understanding (he had been expressly told and it was written in his carefully made notes) that he would receive a $100 rebate after the purchase. The salesman was helpful enough to fill out the rebate form on Marathon's behalf, seal, and address the envelope. He told Marathon all he had to do was slap a stamp on it and put it in the mail.

Which is what we did.

You know how those rebates are - they seem to take forever to arrive.

When it finally did arrive, it was for half the amount we were told we would be receiving. Continue reading

I'm using a computer that we purchased new in 2001. We've taken good care to protect it from viruses and such, but over the last couple of years it has gotten quite slow. For some time we entertained the idea of reinstalling - or reformatting- the operating system.

We decided to go ahead and take the plunge. The computer was getting so painfully slow that we were ready to repair it or - if that didn't work - let it go. Continue reading

We finished reading Little Britches by Ralph Moody a couple of weeks ago. I was familiar with the title but that was all. I'll start by saying that after reading this memoir of the author's boyhood, I've searched our library for more books by the author.

Little Britches is about Moody's family adjusting to life on a Colorado ranch after having to leave New England city life so that his father could avoid the working conditions that aggravated his cough, a hangover symptom from tuberculosis. It's a coming of age story, as Ralph works along side his father, finds his place in the local schoolhouse, and picks up odd jobs to help the family make ends meet. He learns about honesty, animals, and hard work. It's a touching story about family life in the early 1900's, highlighting a boy's relationship with his father.

Rosebud's birthday was a couple of weeks ago, and we went bowling - not because it was her birthday, but because a local bowling alley was having a homeschool bowling day. Rosebud, of course, didn't get much out of that little outing Continue reading

We've had this rope swing up in the yard for a couple of years now. Recently Marathon challenged Carman and Sudoku to climb up to the stump in the picture. They've both done it. Here's Sudoku in the tree. She'll often climb the rope multiple times a day.

As noted in an earlier post, we recently purchased a used van. There are used vehicles, and then there are used vehicles. You know, obviously used vehicles. Our is in the obviously used class, and, especially for a family with children, the obviously used kind comes with some hidden blessings: Continue reading

We purchased a used minivan about a month ago. We had purchased Marathon's truck through ebay a few years before and had gotten a great deal on it. Wanting to repeat that experience, I searched ebay reguarly.

The problem was finding something near us. Since we were not looking for anything unusual - unlike Marathon's truck with utility camper - we didn't want the burden of having to travel to see and pick up the vehicle. Also, at this point, Continue reading

Right now there is a lot of green coming up in the yard - the grass, of course, the variegated monkey grass, shrubs and trees getting their new leaves...and there are little bursts of color from the ornamental apple tree and the beautiful honeysuckle bush. It's a happy time outside for the birds and I.

I also like the rich brown color of damp dirt. I love working outside in the spring in anticipation of things to come. Of course, seeing the irises, daffodils, and tulips bloom, and the cleome and lily foliage emerge, just fans the flame. I wish I were as motivated to grow vegetables. Continue reading

The weather has been wonderful lately - occasional soaking rains and lots of sun. As an old college friend used to say, "Spring is busting out all over!" Along with the new foliage growth, we've seen new kittens, fat caterpillars, baby birds, and lots of earthworms and grubs in the garden. Here's Doodle with his "friend" the fuzzy caterpillar. Continue reading

A couple of days after we returned from the North Carolina trip, our hot water heater kicked the bucket. We had hot water for showers and dishes in the morning. Then in the afternoon, when I turned on the hot water, nothing happened. No water came out at all. After flushing out the water heater in case sediment was the issue (but finding almost none there) and realizing the heater was over 10 years old, we replaced the thing.

Not a very exciting way to spend money. But, boy, that hot water sure feels good.